1. Field of the Invention
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/719782 filed on Oct. 29, 2012 and which is included herein in its entirety by this reference thereto.
The present invention relates to belts conventionally employed for garments and the like. More particularly, it relates to a belt formable by employing a plurality of belt link components configured to engage with each other to form a continuous belt, suspender, or similar structure. The links are formed to render them removable engageable to adjacent loops in the formed belt as a means for adjusting the overall length of the belt. The links may additionally include indicia disposed on at least one surface, such as alphanumeric characters, images or the like providing a means to display words or symbols using incremental connections of individual link components. Employing indica the device provides for a goal oriented system with incremental rewards such as for encouraging weight loss through belt link awards for achievement or as a teaching aid.
2. Prior Art
Belts and suspenders are functional clothing for the support of pants or encirclement of other clothing being worn by the wearer. Depending on their configuration, belts and suspenders can be low-key or can provide both a fashion statement as well as accomplishing their support function. For example belts and suspenders may be configured to blend in with the supported clothing, or they may be decorated to lean toward high fashion such as having expensive leather, adorned jewelry, and extravagant custom buckles. In either case, many users and consumers will enjoy the use of such an accessory which they can uniquely call their own.
Prior art has shown many attempts to provide unique belts. U.S. Pat. No. 2,451,397 to Marquardt teaches an apparel belt or chain formed of a plurality of ornamental chainlike components intended to be assembled to form the complete article. U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,982 to Gray teaches a chain belt formed of a plurality of wires joining tube components formed in a fashionable manner. US Pub. No. 2007/0294807A1 to Van Cotthem teaches a segmented belt assembly formed of band segments that can be interchanged to form to a particular circumference.
However, these and similar belt like devices merely provide decorative elements upon the overall formed belt or suspenders and fails to otherwise provide any additional useful function.
As such there is a continuing and unmet need for a belt or a similar accessory device formed of a plurality of engaged incremental components, which allow for customization of size and decoration. Further, a belt or suspender type device which would cure some of the shortcomings of prior art should not only provide the user means for customization, such a device should also provide an especially secure means of engagement of the individual inks or belt components so as to provide utility and a secure means to support clothing on the user.
In addition to allowing some users the ability to form customized belts and suspenders which are fashionable, an additional aspect of the device should advantageously provide an incremental system of encouraging achievement through the provision of indicia on individual belt links to encourage users toward an ultimate goal such as providing encouragement for weight loss which is directly related to the ultimate length of the formed belt or suspenders. Such a device, so formed of a plurality of interlocking and interchangeable link components, should provide a user with a means for visibly affirming their success in their weight loss progress, not only with a shorter belt, but with indicia recognizable to memorialize reaching particular levels of success.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith, and the noted need for a relief in the art of such shortcomings, are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.